Likud says it will request to ban Arab parties from running in elections
The Likud stated that it would file the requests for the parties' disqualifications, and that "there is no place in the Knesset for those who harm IDF soldiers."
On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party announced plans to request the Central Elections Committee (CEC) to ban the Arab-led Ra am and Joint List parties from participating in the upcoming October elections. Likud cited the parties' perceived support for Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as their alleged attempts to harm Israeli Defense Force soldiers, as reasons for their disqualification.
Likud also accused rival candidate Gadi Eisenkot of attempting to form a government with the Arab parties, labeling them as "natural partners". The Joint List responded by calling the disqualification request a "racist move" and vowed to multiply and "break through" if the attempts to disqualify them were made. The Joint List further accused Likud of being a "crime family" that has "lost the public's trust" and caused "destruction and death".
Tensions escalated as polls indicated neither Netanyahu's or the opposition's bloc had enough support to form a majority government, suggesting a coalition with Arab parties would be difficult. In 2021, Ra'am joined the Bennett-Lapid government as the first Arab party in a governing coalition, but most opposition parties have since rejected the idea of a coalition with Arab parties following the October 7 massacre.
Ra'am later announced it would include the first Jewish candidate on its list. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also petitioned the CEC to bar Ra'am from running, citing statements denying Israel's existence as a Jewish state and supporting armed struggle against it. The CEC could vote to approve these petitions, but past disqualification decisions involving Arab parties have been overturned by the High Court.
On Monday evening, the left-wing Democratic Party, led by Yair Golan, announced it would file a petition demanding the far-right Otzma Yehudit party be banned from the elections, citing allegations of harming democracy, denying Israel's existence as a democratic state, and incitement to racism.
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